EP0200390A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ablation of atherosclerotic plaque from a patient
Assignee: General Hospital Corp
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Filing: 1986-04-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2006-04-08
Abstract
Abstract An unwanted substance such as atherosclerotic plaque is exposed to pulsed laser light at a wavelength at which the ratio of Kubelka-Munk coefficients of the substance to normal surrounding tissue is at least 1.5:1 to ablate the unwanted substance.
Inventors
- 👤 Martin Prince
- 👤 Allan Oseroff
- 👤 John A. Parrish
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 23:34
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; A61B18/245; G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/42; G02B6/4201; G02B6/4204; G02B6/4214; G02B6/4296; A61B17/00; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00137; A61B2017/00154; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22082; A61B2017/22085; A61B2017/22087; A61B2018/00636
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
56 words
Laser apparatus for use in therapy to ablate an unwanted substance in a patient, said apparatus being characterised in that it is adapted to provide pulsed laser light with a wavelength at which the ratio of Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients of said unwanted substance to normal surrounding tissue is at least 1.5:1, and preferably at least 2:1.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
56 words
Laser apparatus for use in therapy to ablate an unwanted substance in a patient, said apparatus being characterised in that it is adapted to provide pulsed laser light with a wavelength at which the ratio of Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients of said unwanted substance to normal surrounding tissue is at least 1.5:1, and preferably at least 2:1.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus for use in therapy to ablate an unwanted substance in a patient, characterised in that it comprises: apparatus adapted to measure Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients in said substance and in normal surrounding tissue over a range of wavelengths, and a laser apparatus adapted to provide pulsed light with a wavelength in said range at which the ratio of Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients of said unwanted substance to said normal surrounding tissue is at least 1.5:1, and preferably at least 2:1.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
79 words
Apparatus for use in therapy to ablate an unwanted substance in a patient, characterised in that it comprises: apparatus adapted to measure Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients in said substance and in normal surrounding tissue over a range of wavelengths, and a laser apparatus adapted to provide pulsed light with a wavelength in said range at which the ratio of Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients of said unwanted substance to said normal surrounding tissue is at least 1.5:1, and preferably at least 2:1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, further characterised in that said laser apparatus is adapted to provide pulsed light with a pulsed duration less than the thermal relaxation time of the volume of the unwanted substance defined by the diameter of the laser beam within the substance and the depth at which 67% of the incident light of said laser has been absorbed.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to Claim 3, further characterised in that said laser apparatus is adapted to produce pulses of duration less than one-half, and preferably less than one-tenth, of said thermal relaxation time.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
In combination: a chromophore selectively taken up by an unwanted substance in a patient, and a laser apparatus adapted to provide pulsed laser light with a wavelength at which the ratio of Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients of said unwanted substance to normal surrounding tissue is at least 1.5:1, and preferably at least 2:1.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
In combination: a chromophore selectively taken up by an unwanted substance in a patient, and a laser apparatus adapted to provide pulsed laser light with a wavelength at which the ratio of Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients of said unwanted substance to normal surrounding tissue is at least 1.5:1, and preferably at least 2:1.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
In combination: a supply of a foodstuff containing a chromophore selectively taken up, upon ingestion by a patient, by an unwanted substance in said patient, and a laser apparatus adapted to provide pulsed laser light with a wavelength at which the ratio of Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients of said unwanted substance to normal surrounding tissue is at least 1.5:1, and preferably at least 2:1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
In combination: a supply of a foodstuff containing a chromophore selectively taken up, upon ingestion by a patient, by an unwanted substance in said patient, and a laser apparatus adapted to provide pulsed laser light with a wavelength at which the ratio of Kubelka-Munk absorption coefficients of said unwanted substance to normal surrounding tissue is at least 1.5:1, and preferably at least 2:1.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The combination of Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein said unwanted substance comprises atherosclerotic plaque, further characterised in that said chromophore is a carotenoid, and preferably 6-carotene.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The combination of Claim 7, further characterised in that said wavelength is in the range of 440 to 480 nm., and preferably is about 460 nm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
28 words
The combination of Claim 5 or any Claim appendant thereto, further characterised in that said chromophore is provided in a dosage form enabling intravenous administration to a patient.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
lO. The combination of Claim 5 or Claims 7 or 8 as appendant to Claim 5, further characterised in that said chromophore is provided in a dosage form enabling oral administration to a patient at least once daily for at least two days prior to exposure of said patient to said laser light.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
The combination of Claim 5 or any Claim appendant thereto, further characterised in that said chromophore is provided in a dosage form enabling administration thereof to a patient at a dosage rate of between 100 mg and 5,000 mg per day.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4207874A
Cited
GB2125986A
Cited
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